Method of constructing welded metal water-going vessels



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METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING WELDED METAL WATER-GOING VESSELS Filed Nov. 27, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 luau/1: 5. Baz'er 1 Gum/4 3:.

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Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES- PA'I'ENT OFFICE :METHOD OF CONSTRUCTIN-GVWELDED METAL WATER-GOING VESSELS Ludwig s. Baier, Milwaukee," Oreg. Application November 27, 1939, Serial,No-. 306,368

h me-79) I 10 Claims. My invention relates to improvements in the art of ship building and it more particular re--- lates to welded steel construction using the so-' called longitudinal system offraming, examples of which may be found in the IsherWood patents, Nos. 1,029,546 and 1,147,732.

More specifically the present invention relates to improvements in methods of framing and the welding of the shapes and plates and welding the plate butts and seams-of Such vessels.

Further, it is an object to provide a method of construction and design of such vessels by which certain objectionable features heretofore found to occur in Welded ship constructions are turned to advantage in my method by which a valuable asset to the ship builder is obtained.

Again, it is an object'to provide a method of construction whereby one may predetermine the buckling the plates will take when they are finished welded and whereby one is enabled to prevent buckling ad lib. and the consequent creation of an uneven surface; and, further, a method of welding the plating to the framing (theframing includes the longitudinals, bulkheads-fore and aft and transverseand the transverse web frames) so as not only to control the buckling but also to minimize the stresses in the plates due to the Welding operation.

Further, it is an object to provide a combined liquid cargo and general freight cargo barge that is so designed and constructed that it may be used safely to carry a cargo of oil and/or gasoline, or a cargo of general freight without the one cargo interfering withthe other, the filling andemptying ducts for the liquid tanks and the motors and pumps for the same being located outside the general cargo space and having no connection therewith, .so that fumes or leakage (if any) from the liquid cargo tanks cannot enter the general freight house chamber or chambers.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter. v

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention still further resides in. those novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described inthe following detailed description and will then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a combined liquid and general'cargo barge according to my invention, the aft portion having the top plating of the freight house removed to show theframing.

Figure 21is a'zside elevation of the same, the side and top plating of the aft portion being removed.

' FiguresB -3B, when joined on the line A-B, constitute a top'plan view of the hull, the freight house being removed and approximately one half :the deck platingibeing omitted.

Figures 4M yWhen joined on the lines C-D, constitute a midship cross section on the line .4-4:0f"Figure,3 .1. Y r Figure5'is adetailed longitudinal vertical section on the line 5-5 of. Figure 134%.

Figure 6 is a similar View on the line 6-6' o l igure3 -x Figure 7 is a similar view on theiline i! of Figure 3 T r Figure 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of avesselshowing one method of construction.'" J 1 Figure-9 is a detailed cross sectionshowing how the web frames, bulkheads, :longitudinals and plating are assembled;

Figure: 10 is'an enlargeddetailed View of a portion of the partsshown in Figure 9 showing the method of'securing theweb frames, and the bulkheads' to the 'longitudinals and the plating .to these three elements.

Figures 11 to 20, inclusive, are diagrammatic detailed views hereinafter specifically referred to.

Figure 2 1-isa detail section showing a portion of the construction involved in my invention.

' In the .drawings,=inwhich like numerals of 1 reference refer to like parts in all the figures, l

represents the superstructure or freight house,

.of steel'suitably welded together and to the deck beamsof-the hullto form a rigid structure.

Hatches 6 are provided atsuitable intervals.

Aft and fore are transversetight partitions -(bulkheads) 1, 8 and: I I, I2 which divide the fore and aft ends of the superstructure into two transverse roomsll, l0 and I3, M, sealed from one another and from the cargo space amidship. The rooms, 9 and 13 are designedto contain the pumps for the loading and the unloading of theliquid Cargo of the hulltanks (later again referred to), while the rooms Illand l4 aredesigned to contain the motors (preferably Diesel engines). to run the pumps, the connections between motors and 'pumpspassing through gas tight stuffing boxesin the bulkheads 8 and I2.

Entranceis had to the rooms I l3 and I 4 through -water ti'ght do'or's l fi and suitably'located manholes with gas-tight covers l5, may be provided for entrance to the pump rooms in case repairs to pumps become necessary.

Ladders l6 fore and aft give access to the catwalk ll on the roof of the freight house. The side wall plating I8 of the freight house and the roof plating iii are of welded construction, and are welded to the framing in any suitable way, or the plating may be secured to the framing in any other desired fashion.

The ventilators for the motor and pump rooms are indicated at (Figures 1 and 2), while 22 indicates the pressure relief valves, 23 the filling and discharge pipes, 24 the port holes, and 2i the seeming.

The hull 25 constitutes the principal part of my invention and will now be described, reference being had particularly to Figures 3 et seq.

The hull includes a setlo f transverse frames composed of side uprights 26, bottom portions 21 and top or deck-beam portions 28 (see Figure 4 securely welded together, .as at 10. These frames are slotted to receive the continuous longitudinals 29 which extend from the .foremost transverse bulkhead 35 to'the vrearmost transverse bulkhead 35 (Figures 3 and 6). These longitudinals are securely welded to the cross frames (on one side only .if desired) and to the bulkheads on both. sides to obtain a fluid-tight joint.

In the design illustrated,fithree transverse bulkheads 35 and three longitudinal bulkheads 30 are provided, dividing the hull into eight tanks.

The bulkheads and 3B are securely welded to the longitudinals '29, and thedeck and shell plates 34, 32, 33 of the vessel, and to each other where they cross, so that each tankwill be separate and distinct from the others, the bulkheads also serving to stifien or brace the hull. To'that end I prefer to employ corrugated bulkheads as shown in Figures 3 and 4 The use of corrugated bulkheads not only eliminates the cost of attaching additional stifieners (as the corrugations form a stiffened section), but the top and bottom edges of the bulkheads form butt straps for the deck or shell plate seams (see dotted-line longitudinal bulkhead in Figures 3 -3 The cross frames .26, 21, '28 are further braced bycliagonals 3| (preferably of angle iron) se- I curely welded as indicated.

At the fore and aft ends the vessel is provided with raised deck portions (:see Figures '5 to '7 inclusive) The centerline longitudinal section at the rakes is provided with-a series of longitudinal stiffening partiticnplatesdfi and transverse par tition plates 88 and cross frames 39, the plates 36 having holes 31 tolighten their weight and to permit draining.

At the sides of the -mid-plane, longitudinal skeleton stiffeners 5'2. 53 are used, as are also short deck beams ZSKcorner braces 54 and diagonal braces to, all securely welded into an integral structure. 'By reference toFigures 4& 5, 6 and 7 it will be seenthat the raised deck plating 3M runs thwart ship, while the main deck plating 34 runs fore and. aft.

The raised deck, fore .and aft, provides a set of expansion chambers for the tanks, which chambers are braced by plates 5| see Figure 6) securely welded in place. The method of: welding the plating to the framing will be explained later.

framing. By using fiat bar in this manner it will be possible to use the following procedure in assembling the barge: First, the bottom plating,if to be corrugated, is first rolled to a slight set; second, the longitudinals will then be welded to unite them into .an integral structure.

to the plating (bottom, side and shell) before leaving the shop; third, a supporting staging with corrugations corresponding to those of the pre-roiled bottom plates is set up and properly 'faired; fourth, the bottom plating is laid over i this staging; fifth, next the .web frames, longitudinals and transverse bulkheads are placed and the notches in the transverse web frames and the transverse bulkheads are aligned with the flat bar longitudinals of the bottom plating; sixth, the side plating with the longitudinals attached is placed in position with the notches engaging the longitudinals and the same applies to the deck plating throughout the square portion of the hull; seventh, the raked or spoon ends, as the case may be, are framed from bentor cut members and secured to the peak bulkheads. and are shored to position and then plated over; eighth, the bilge plate, if any, will be applied last, and as the bilge plate may be rounded instead of angular (Figures 4 and 4 it should be rolled one-slightly shorter radius than that of the bulkheadso as to allow for contraction after the .edges have been welded (see Fig. 18). There is no stem or keel on a barge of this type. The centerline longitudinal bulkhead takes the place of :a keel and in the erection of the barge would not be placed first, but as mentioned above.

reference to which it will be seen that the bulkhead plates 58 have angle slots 59 through which the longitudinals 6B are passed, after which the angle-bar longitudinals are securely welded all around, as at .w, to close entirely the space between bars 60 and the bulkhead '58, as well as The plating (EL-E2 is welded to the bulkhead plates and the outer edge of the longitudinals for the full length of their contacting faces so that no fluid may pass by the bulkhead from one compartment or tank to another. When the angleiron longitudinals are used, the web frames 51, 57 are not slotted but have edge contact only with the inner flanges or webs of the longitudinals (see Figures 9 and 10).

This construction has a number of advantages over ordinary practice, especially in ship construction for hulls up to 250 feet long (see Figure 8). For instance, after the lines of a boat form: keel, stem, transom, fantail, transverse web frames, bulkheads, deck plating and masame. M

In a transversely framed hull it is a costly and slow job to bend each individuals frame to a special set and requires much skill to obtain fair lines.' With transverse framing it is also necessary to keepthe frames properly spaced and in alignment by the use of ribbands' and shores until such time as the plating can be applied and secured; Thus, I can safely say, the fabrication and erection as compared to the method I have devised is' at least twice as costly. Togo into more detail, I tshall't'ake up the construction step by step'in order that one may better understand theadvantages', etc. of my methodJ l 1 As soon as the loft work is far enough along to start duplicating steel,-thefirstiteinsto"be placed are the keel and stem iron 'whe'n building a boat. The webframes and transverse bulk heads are then set up and shored in position and in proper relation to'ea'ch other. Then the longitudinals (angles) "are sp'rung into place cold. As mentioned before, there is no bending or fabrication necessary. Angle shapes are used for all longitudinal frames. In a boat'fifty feet Land under it is practicable to fit-these lcngitudinals in one long bar. Thisinsures-a fair curve the length of the hull and can be compared with a ribband or batton used tofair up the wooden frames in a wood boat where steamed frames are used. A number of longitudinals are threaded through the slcts'provided 'in' the bulkheads, either side of the hull. Then inpairs, one port and one starboard, they are sprung into place at the transom and secured by welding; the forward ends are sprunginto place then, and secured by welding at the stem By springing the longitudinals in pairs any tendency to distort the hull is eliminated as there is an equal pressure ap-- plied at either side of the hull and one offsets the other.

It will be noted in the accompanying drawings, Figures 8 to 10, that in way of the web frames The transverse web frames may be of single plates for small craft'or of 'anumber of plates Welded together.

This is -merely a matter of design and judgment on the 'part'of the builder so long as strength requirements of the classification societies are satisfied. As'will be noted,

the transverse frames donot carry out to the molded line, i. e., insideof the shell plating. Only the bulkheads are full width and these are slotted in way of the longitudinals. The reason for not carrying the web frames out to the plating is that it entails more laborto slot 'or notch-the Further,

cially where light gauge metals are used} Thus considerable labor is saved in not welding the web frames directly to the shell and deck plating,

After all the longitudina-ls are: in place, bothon the shell-and thedeck, the boat is'readygfor plating. hereyI wish to point out that when a vessel 'of any kind is Welded=there 'is' a certain amount of contraction-after the weld. has been made, whichif not relieved causesconsiderable stress. In some 1 instances sufficient stress'is locked. up to cause the'weld to fail. It is easy to see then, that in a shape such as a boat, that after'all the hull anddeck plating are welded'in place, if

there isnothing done to permit this plating'to I fshrink,.akstrainwould be placed on-boththe plating and onthe supporting frames; The usual result in boats framed in the conventional man,-

sufficiently to hold them in place so that the I plating can be secured thereto; In addition, the

slots inthe bulkheads are slightlylarg er than the cross 'section of the-angle passing through and at'these points no welding is used to hold the longitudinal, the slot being suificient "to'a'nswer the purpose.- (The final welding of this connec tion willbe taken up later.) The bulkhead plates are merely bolted together sufficiently to' permit movement in the bolt holes, so that when the seen-aha deck plating is welded into place there is sufficient playin the bolt holes to permit the hullto shrink Web frames likewise" are" left Welded. P g

7 All plating, whether on the deck or shell, is

started amidship-and worked toward the ends and outboard,"beingwelded in that order. The

only exception is the "bilge plates which are Welded on last and allowance for shrinkage-is made by rolling'them-slightly smallerin radius than the framing they cover. When finally welded they will be found to fit 'closel yl Byv having a small space betweenthe plateand the frames at the center o f the rolled platea'and by welding both the top and bottom edges of such a plate, theweld, when cool will take'up the slack, and theplate will thus position itself;

When a1l welding on the exterior of the shell and deck has been completedfthe' interior welding is commenced. First the bulkheads are welded to the shell} thenall web frames are welded to the longitudinals and-slots 'inway of the bulkheads-where the longitudinals pass through are welded." Bulkheads and web frames, when made up in sections, have the sections lapped and secured together with'bolts. The bo1ts,f being smaller than'the soles provided for them, permit the plating to contract to adegree sufiicient to help relieve the stress caused by welding. In short, the .hull when welded in this manner'will be slightly undersize, but not enough to. be noticed means)"while-the. welding, is being done, espe-.-

Before going into. the -methods used bolteduntil after all outside plating is finally and-the stress being relieved thereby will insure a. stronger hull. It is'also desirable to do the same amount of welding at the same time port and starboard. Thismeans, of course, employmg an equal number of'welders to work both sides ofthe boat, and that they should'work opposite one another at all times.

Where stop-waters are used'inway of. water and oil tight bulkheads/.longitudinals will be nicked or notched out sufficiently to. permit the weld to penetrate to the depth of the bar and fuse with the shell and/or deck plating. All stop-water notches will be out only after the hull and deck plating is welded. To notch for stopwaters before'the plating is finished being welded would tend to puta kink in the longitudinal at the point where the notch occur red and would cause an unfair curve on the shell as aresult. There is .no danger of this happening after the shell is once secured and amply welded.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsuit will be seen that byfollowing my invention the following advantages are present: l. A system of framing so spaced and connected as to eliminate distortion of the plating welded thereto.

. 2. A system of framing eliminating the necessity of furnace and slab work and/or other mechanical means of bending and setting frames.

3. A system of framing which can be easily faired and which will prevent stresses in the hull due to thewelding of plates to frames, longitudinals, etc.

4. A system offraming that will be more economical than any method now'used,;both from the 'standpoints of fabrication and erection.

i 5. A system of framing employing light-weight,

easily shaped angle iron shapes, spaced sufficiently close together to give effective stifiening to the plates welded thereto and at the same time not causing any distortion of the plating when the same is being welded.

6. A system of framing that-uses transverse bulkheads and web frames spaced at intervals, depending on the size of the boat, so that the longitudinal framing may be sprung in such a manner as to bring a fair curve to the shell and deck portion of the boat.

'7. A system of framing that will permit longitudinals to be applied to the hull without previous fabrication, except cutting to the proper length.

-8. A system of framing that will permit the use of standard structural and shipbuilding shapes of angle.

9. A system of framing combining the use of web frames, bulkheads and longitudinal frames of such size and strength as .necessary to conform to the requirements of the classification societies.

10. A system of framing so arranged as to al- :low for the natural contraction of the metals after being weldedtogether to form .a hull consisting of web frames, bulkheads, longitudinal framing and exterior plating.

ill. A system'of framing that will permit the use of smaller welds without lessening the strength of connections, as more welds will be employed over a greater 'area, thus holding welding heat to'a n'iinimum .arrdeliminating buckling Iponnd of finished job.

13.A system of framing so arranged as to give a more uniform distribution of stifiened support and at the same time be flexible enough to withstand severe shock.

14. A system of framing so arranged as to take upthe shock .of collision, rather than crack or rupture.

i 15. A system of framing easily repaired in. the event of serious damage due to collision.

As to the method of design with relation to the welding operation, in constructing barges or amidship portions of large boats, the method here presented is based on facts well known to those who have used welding for connecting plates and shapes and welding plate butts and seams of boats. We know that the base metal expands and then contracts when welded. The result is buckling and warping; sometimes fracture, due to built-up stresses where there is little chance for the metal to go, occurs. These are the most objectionable faults in welded construction. By employing the invention .here involved 'I am able to utilize these faults and make them instead a valuable asset to the shipbuilder.

Counting some of these features directly in favor of my ideas, I am listing the following:

1. A stronger hull per pound of dead-weight for given dimension.

Lower first cost.

3. Lower operating cost.

4. Elimination of 90% overhead welding.

5. Complete welding of over 75% of the job in the shop.

6. The use of high strength and high speed rods on automatic welding machines as the result of features 4 and 5.

7. Ease of erection and assembly on the ways.

8. Use of present shop equipment, making it unnecessary to install special equipment (except welding machines and jigs).

Tl'iebasic principle involved in this phase of the invention is one of shaping the plates so that a predetermined direction will be followed when the work is welded and so the work will not buckle and warp hit or miss. Along with the shaping of the plates, longitudinal framing is employed. While the latter has been used for many years in ship construction and is in itself nothing new, it is none the less necessary to use this type of framing.

This system lends itself 'more particularly to the bottom and side plating on barges and bulk carriers such as are used on the Great Lakes and in coastwise trade, including tank ships. It is claimed that a lighter-weight plate, together with lighter-weight framing, can be used and give the same section modulus to that of a hull plated with fiat plates of a greater thickness and using heavier framing. This is in addition to the feature of stress relieving. Also in welding a seam of a plate having a slight :set, the amount of welding required to make a longitudinal seam connection can be reduced as the action of the plate after being welded tends to flatten out due to the contraction of the base metal after the weld has cooled, thus relieving the stress on the weld and plating adjacent to the line of the weld. In all cases the butts would be welded first, before welding the seams transversely. By having the buckle predetermined in afore-and-aft direction, as will be the case here, the hull will offer less frictional resistance to the waterwhen under *way than if the framing is rim transversely and the plating applied tiator without set.

To illustrate the p.oint,,-Figtt res ;l1-and 1:2. showing theaction taken byplates' after being welded,

will clearly prove my case. In Figure 11 is shown a butt weld madeon two unprotected flatplates,

the dotted lines indicating the distortion of the plateafter welding. The solid lines indicatethe position ,of the plates beforebeing welded, being perfectly flat. In Figure12 it will be noted that before welding the two-plates atthe buttthey have been rolled to a slight set. After the butt is welded the plates are practically in the same shape "as before.welding,-as the figureindicates.

These figures in perspective are exaggerated purposely. I I

. In Figure 12 one of the principalfeatures is embodied. Modificationsv of the basic idea can be-'used in a number of ways. l

To illustrate further the action ofwelding to thebase metals, Figure 13 shows a platefand shape welded in a T section. Figurel l shows "a plate slightly rolled and welded to an upright,

member, also forming a T section. The solid lines indicate, in Figure'13; the plates before welding, the dotted lines after welding. In Figure 14 it will be noted the: draw of the plateis in line with the original shape, but slightly less.. In Figures 15, .16 and 17 I have shown by ex aggerated cross-sectional diagrams the results producedby my method. In Figure 15 the plates are shown with the setgiven them in rolling. Figure 16 shows the longitudinals welded to the plates and part of the set removed as the draw caused by welding tends to flatten the plates. Figure 17 shows the shape of the plates after being welded at'the seams. In practice the amount of original set is about one inch in' eight feet. After all welding is completed, the set is about thirteen-sixteenths of an inch in eight feet, about one-eighth ofan inch being removed when longitudinals are welded to loose plates and about one-sixteenth of an inch when.

ing the open edge of the seam, thereby preventing fracture that might be caused by lack of penetration of the heavy bead, and the second is that the smaller bead acts toanneal the larger weld,-thereby eliminating toa degree stresses built up along-the line of the weld. It will also be noted that the plating in this position especially adapts itself to a predetermined shape, namely, that the action of the draw in the metal is in the direction of the pre-rolled plate.

With longitudinals welded to plates in the manner shown it is impossible for a cross member, such as a bulkhead, to cause any buckling to take place when the latter is welded to the plating.

In short, by having a set and/or roll in the plating transversely,,it is possible to have a hull that will ofier the minimum of frictional resistance to the water, as the effect is that of a longitudinally corrugated shell.

One of the principal reasons for ccrrugating the plating in the manner shown-so far as a barge is concerned-is to afiord a grip to the water and prevent side-slip in fast water, as a smooth bottom would be difficult to navigate in fast water. So herethe corrugations add another good reason for their being,--as'ide from the added strength and smooth longitudinal surface offered.

In the case ofthe large sea-going ship, the amidship portion of the hull, not having shape, may andcould be framed much glike the barge referred to, with the shaped bow and stern built up of curveclmembers and then plated over; The uncurved portions of the hullof aboatup to 400 feet longcould be constructed to advantage similar to the construction followedqin erecting a barge. In this case;.the longitudinals themselves would be notched inwayoof the bulkheads and the top leg or flange of the angle would be slotted,

as at63; to clear, instead. ofnotching the .bulkhead and threading the angle through as in the smallerhull of fine lines, (see FigurelQ). The bulkhead or web frame-4f the latter extends to the hullwould be notched? as at. 64 for the standing flange of the longitudinal (see Figure 20),. The corrugating, of the bottom plates would be possible on a boat of this sizeytogether with the side plating up to, a-point where the bow andsterncurves start-1. V

' Of course it 'will be obviousto those skilled in the art that changes in gthe details of construction can be made without ,departing from the present-invention.)

1 What I claim -is:- ,2 3

1. The method of metallic ship construction which ccmprises the followingassembly steps in the order mentioned: placing the keel and'stem irons in position,,setting up a'fore and an aft transverse bulkhead and the transverse web frames with the respective parts of the web frames connected. and shoring ,the same in posi';- tion in proper relation to each other, threading longitudinals of angle shapes in pairs, oneat eachside of theihulL through corresponding an- -gleslots in the bulkheads with a fiat side of the angle shapes against the frames, and springing the longitudinals into place cold, securing the sprung longitudinals to the transom and to the stem by welding, applying the shell plating to the frame,-and welding thesame to'the longitudinals and to the transverse bulkheads. i v

2.-'I he-. method of metallic. ship .construction -.which..comprises the followingassembly steps in the-order mentioned: placing the keel and stem irons in position, setting up a fore and an aft transverse" bulkhead; and the transverse web frameswiththe respective'parts of the web frames connected and shoring the same in'position in proper relation to. each othenthreading'longitudinals of angle shapesin pairs, one at each side of the hull, through corresponding angle slots in thebulkheads, springingthe longitudinals in ,placecold, securing the sprung longitudinals. to

parts of the web frames connected and shoring the same in position in proper relation to each other, threading longitudinals of angle shapes in pairs, one at each side of the hull, through slots in the bulkheads,springing the longitudinals into place cold, securing the sprung longitudinals to the transom and to the stem by welding, applying the shell plating to the frame and welding the same to the longitudinals and to the transverse bulkheads, and after all outside plating has been finally welded, welding together the parts of the respective web frames.

4. The method of ship construction which comprises the following assembly steps in the order mentioned: placing the keel and stem irons in position, setting up the transverse bulkheads and the transverse web frames with the respective parts of the web frames connected and shoring the same in position in proper relation to each other, threading longitudinals of angle shapes in pairs, one at each side of the hull, through slots in the bulkheads, springing the longitudinals into place cold, securing the sprung longitudinal's to the transom and to the stem by welding, applying transversely curved shell plating to the frame, welding the plating sections together and to the longitudinals and to the bulkheads to produce an integral structure, and after all outside plating has been finally welded, welding together the parts of the respective Web frames,

5. The method of ship construction which comprises the following assembly steps in the order mentioned: placingth'e keel and stem irons in position, setting up the transverse bulkheads and the transverse web frames with the respective parts of the web frames connected and shoring the same in position in proper relation to each other, threading longitudinals of angle shapes in pairs, one at each side of the hull, through slots in the bulkheads, springing the longitudinals into place cold, securing the sprung longitudinals to the transom and to the stem by welding, applying the shell plating to the frame and welding the same to the longitudinals and to the transverse bulkheads, welding the marginal edges of the web frames to the longitudinals, and finally welding together the parts of the respective web frames.

6. The method of ship construction which com-- prises the following assembly steps in the order mentioned: placing the keel and stem irons in position, setting up the transverse bulkheads and the transverse web frames with the respective parts of the web frames connected and shorin the same in position in proper relation to each other, threading longitudinals of angle shapes in pairs, one at each side of the hull, through slots in the bulkheads, springing the longitudinals into place cold, securing the sprung longitudinals to the transom and to the stem by welding, applying transversely curved shell plating to the frame, welding the plating sections together and c to the longitudinals and to the bulkheads to produce an integral structure, welding the marginal edges of the web frames to the longitudinals, and finally welding together the parts of the respective web frames.

7. The method of ship construction which comprises setting up the keel, stem, and stem or transom, locating fore and aft transverse bulkheads in'position on the keel, the bulkheads having-angle-bar-rc'ceiving angle slots, locating mechanically extensible and contractible transverse web frames on the keel between the fore and aft bulkheads, threading angle-lon'gltudinalsthrough the bulkhead slots, simultaneously springing a longitudinal at oneside of the ship and the corresponding one at the other side together at one end of the ship and welding theilongitudinals at said end, then springing the other endsof the same longitudinals, into place at the other end of the ship and. welding the same in place, placing the shell plating and welding ittogether and to said lon'gitudin'als and to the adjacent edges of the bulkheads, welding the transverse web frames and shell plating together, and finally after the web frame sections have received their setf welding those sections together, by virtue of which a unitary structure istproduced.

8. The method of claim '7 wherein the shell plates are given a transverse curve before they are applied to the frame and have their ends joined by welding the joints between adjacent ends, and welding together the adjacent sides of adjacent shell plates.

9. The method of metallic ship construction which comprises the following assembly steps in the order mentioned: placing the keel and stem irons in position, setting up a fore and an aft transverse bulkhead and the transverse web frames with the respective parts of the web frames connected and shoring the same in position in proper relation to each other, threading longitudinals of angle shapes in pairs, one at each side of the hull, through corresponding angle slots in the bulkheads, and springing the longitudinals into place cold, securing the sprung longitudinals to the transom and to the stem by Welding, applying the shell plating to the frame, welding the same to the'longitudinals and to the transverse bulkheads, the shell plates, being given a transverse curve before the'plates are, applied to the frame, welding the joints between the adjacent ends of the plates, and weldmg together the adjacent sides of adjacent shell plates.

, 10; The method of metallic ship construction, which comprises the building of the frame of the vessel, applying theshell plating to the frame and welding the same to the longitudinals and to the transverse bulkheads of the vessel, the shell plates being given a transverse curve before the plates are applied to the frame, welding the joints between adjacent ends of the plates, and welding together the adjacent sides ,of adjacent shell plates.

'LUDWIG- S. BAIER. 

